Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1887-06-24


Bu' Poll, wuull su>wrr m,rrily:
w hat the Use II an ugly duck
irsIn. IT, i,"A as. swami You would
only max. fol II mr. Mlrs dear
N. Ua. have -cn~v enough To- snow
that Naiugv ha~ mad" m" ugly. Let
IL l,.,k,. NA'ury al,ns.
Nevertheless. she va> thoroughly
go,,d-h,agfvd lni kind. aud when
their cuh-argi,"d b"ardrr. Mr.
Hugh Melville. wa- carried home one
day, bleeding aad >cu>rl,-~>, hsdlY
hurt hN fall from hi horse. il was
F"lll " %" received tn" p,-,r wounded
head upon her lap. controlling her
self quietly while h"r sister >hrank
away ia horror. And II Wa to Pol
IL : ytTy that the doctor cnulid,i hi
patient. Installing her - chief nurse
and En5>'rv>- oi IA, sick runm.
y" one disputed tia l~,~iiiou. Mir
lam sud A.u,> Hopkins were bright.
merry -ir... u't,h sought after and
admired lu their "wn vlrrl, for their
VT. and Gr.lr.,. iud beauty
Hugh Melville. handsome Young
bachelor, with i good income. had
pleased aud interested them greatly
in hi. health and strength; bu, now in
sickness and pain. they could do little
for him.
Not that they were hcartless. On
the contrary. they pit.t'l the poor f-l-
luw sincerely. and would have tried
their hands IA nursing him had il been
necessary; hut it wa> not. Polly could
do it 81 much better.
She was a natural born nurse.
the doctor said. Light of foot, soft
Of Voice, dcft of touch. quick of ear
AMI eve, sound oi Judgment. and ten
der uf heart
And Polly liked sick nursing. The
silence, and confinement. aud dark
Ness Of the sick-room never wearied
her
At last, when weeks had l.pgth-
curd into months. and the soft cool
hrcczc- of the early fall displaced the
heat and glart IF midsummer, Polly
lead her invalid out int" the pleasant
air. AMI seated him. t"nderlN and
carefully. under the shady trees, gaz-
ing upon him meanwhile with fond
earnest eyes. in which joy and grief
>trove vi>ibly for mastery.
For, all unknown to herself. the
girl had learned to love the man for
whom Heaven had permitted her to dc
50 much.
$50 much. she thought >"rrDwful!y
land Yet So little.
Forsthough her devoted care had
saved his life the doctor said 50. and
he himself had he not humhly and
gratefully thanked her, calling hcl
his ''pre>erver,
Still, not even her devotion could
shield him from one terrible mist"r-
tunc-the injuries had been To his
head and face, and Hugh Melville was
blind,
Being blind, he fell in love with
Polly.
He had never seen the poor littl,
ugly duck Tokens of her care and
hou>ewifery had surrounded him. il
the shape of well-cooked meals and {
pleasant, carefully y-appointed room
during the few weeks he had boarded
with Mrs. Hopkins, before his acci
! dent: but the beneiicent fairy who ha,
secured to him these good things, be
! ing painfully conscious of her owl
| personal deficiencies, had CAREFUL,
kept out of his sight.
| And now he could never see her!
At first, when DIR. Osborne said
AFTER Heaven, you owe your re
covery to Miss Hopkins, Her devotet
nursing has done more for you THAI
my skill" he thought of Miriam
beautiful Miriam whom he ha,
felt passing admiration already
Was it her gentle hand that touchet
his wounds 50 tenderly?-her soft ant
thrilling voice that whispered of sym
! pathy and hope?